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In this newsletter, I
will continue with the baby and toddler recipes, in the previous issue I
featured First Foods, this time it's Second Foods. Thanx Elzeth for
sending these to me. Scroll down to the recipe section.

The following
article was written by a friend of mine, Elizabeth Scrimgeour. It appeared in
the The Lakeshore Advance, Wednesday, January 22, 2003

Cookin' Mama discloses basics of chicken stock

IN ELIZABETH'S KITCHEN

Pull up a chair and set a spell...I've been threatening to write a cooking
column for years now, but you know how it is. Sometimes an idea has to
germinate. Well, the time is now and I'm going to call my first series of
articles: "Cookin' as a Mama."
Since I am a self-proclaimed efficiency expert, I thought I would kill two
birds with one stone and write a series based on the open cookbook I am
writing for my children. Because they are old enough to cook for
themselves, I thought I would make it a little easier by writing down all
the basic recipes handed down to me over the past 25 years. (Plus, I
thought it would increase my chances of ever being on the receiving end of
a home-cooked meal someday.)
Real home cooking. Good food made from scratch with your own hands. It's
less expensive, better for you and if done properly can improve your
health, make you more globally aware, increase your popularity by 100 per
cent and can actually be a stress reducer!!!
These will be recipes that you make a few times and then commit to memory.
Soon, they become second nature and before you know it, you'll be throwing
in this and that and creating your own signature dishes.
I thought I would start with my number one, most favourite thing in the
world to make and the first thing my Grandmother taught me how to make:
Grandmom Fergeson's Basic Chicken Stock. It's a weekly ritual and it
personally gives me a lot of pleasure to make.
I think it's because it's so good, but also because of all the fond
memories associated with it. It's so simple. Especially when all you have
to do is go out and buy a chicken. (Just a little tip, you should always
onions, celery and carrots on hand).
In my Grandmother and Mother's day, it wasn't quite so easy because they
raised teir own chickens for eggs and meat. I called my Mom and asked her
to tell me the story again. Here it is, verbatim, I hope you enjoy it:
"First you catch a chicken and wring it's neck and chop it's head off. Let
it run around. Take it into the house and rinse it good with cold water.
Holding it by the feet, immerse it inot boiling water for 5-8 minutes
(depending on the heat of the water). Pull it out and rinse with cold
running water. Take it back outside, pluck all the feathers off and cut
the feet off. Now is the time your mother shows you how to pull the
tendons to make the feet move."
Somehow I think if we all had to go through this procedure every time we
wanted chicken for dinner, we might consider alternate sources of protein.

Throw it all in a large pot and cover with cold water. Bring it to a boil.
Have a bowl and a long handled slotted spoon by the stove and skim off the
scum off as it surfaces. Reduce to a simmer and cook 1 1/2 hours. Let cool
slightly and remove chicken to a platter for another use. Strain the
stock, discard the vegetables, cover and refrigerate overnight. Remove the
fat that has risen to the top.
My Grandmother used this to make pastry. Nothing was wasted. It's now
ready to use or freeze for up to a month. It's always good to have some
chicken stock on hand. It's medicinal qualities are scientific fact.
Next time, I'll tell you what to do with it....It's amazing how many
memories one thing can trigger. Cooking in the kitchen with people you
love can be a wonderful thing. My son and I have been having some great
times!!!
I would encourage anyone to go out and get a nice hard-covered notebook
that appeals to your sense of order and style. Alos, buy a water-resistant
ink pen in a colour you like. It should be written in your own
handwriting.
Then ask yourself the question, "what recipes and stories would I like to
hand down to my loved ones? If that's too difficult, what do other people
want you write down? And if you don't have anything, hopefully you will by
the end of this series.
I look forward to taking you through "Cookin' As A Mama" with me.

Elizabeth Scrimgeour is a cooking instructor at a large grocery store;
has been a cook at Oakwood Pub, Catering by Barbara and Lakeview Cafe for
the past 5 years. Elizabeth was an instructor and assistant for Susan
Lee's Cooking School in London, Ontario for 7 years.

Simple Truths about
Children

A king size waterbed
holds enough water to fill a 2000 sq. ft. house 4 inches deep.
If you spray hairspray on dust bunnies and run over them with roller
blades, they can ignite.
A 3-year old's voice is louder than 200 adults in a crowded restaurant.
If you hook a dog leash over a ceiling fan, the motor is not strong enough
to rotate a 42 pound boy wearing Batman underwear and a Superman cape. It
is strong enough, however, if tied to a paint can, to spread paint on all
four walls of a 20x20 ft. room.
You should not throw baseballs up when the ceiling fan is on. When using a
ceiling fan as a bat, you have to throw the ball up a few times before you
get a hit. A ceiling fan can hit a baseball a long way.
The glass in windows (even double-pane) doesn't stop a baseball hit by a
ceiling fan.
When you hear the toilet flush and the words "uh oh", it's already too
late.
Brake fluid mixed with Clorox makes smoke, and lots of it.
A six-year old can start a fire with a flint rock even though a 36-year
old man says they can only do it in the movies.
Certain Leggos will pass through the digestive tract of a 3-year-old.
Play dough and microwave should not be used in the same sentence.
Super glue is forever.
No matter how much Jell-O you put in a swimming pool you still can't walk
on water.
Pool filters do not like Jell-O.
VCR's do not eject PB&J sandwiches even though TV commercials show they
do.
Garbage bags do not make good parachutes.
Marbles in gas tanks make lots of noise when driving.
You probably do not want to know what that odor is.
Always look in the oven before you turn it on. Plastic toys do not like
ovens.
The fire department in Austin, TX has a 5-minute response time.
The spin cycle on the washing machine does not make earthworms dizzy.
It will, however, make cats dizzy.
Cats throw up twice their body weight when dizzy.
The mind of a 6-year old is wonderful.

I once again want to
mention a great recipe eBook called Making Diabetic Cooking Easy.
The book contains 177 recipes and is available for only R65. Overseas
payments also accepted via Paypal. Contact Annie at 0822946799 or by email at anna@minimax.ccThere is no
delay or postage to be paid as the book is emailed to you.

Wisdom from
Grandpa

Whether a man winds up with a nest egg, or a goose egg, depends a lot on
the kind of chick he marries.
Trouble in marriage often starts when a man gets so busy earnin' his salt
that he forgets his sugar.
Too many couples marry for better, or for worse, but not for good.
When a man marries a woman, they become one; but the trouble starts when
they try to decide which one.
If a man has enough horse sense to treat his wife like a thoroughbred, she
will never turn into an old nag.
On anniversaries, the wise husband always forgets the past - but never the
present.
A foolish husband says to his wife, "Honey, you stick to the washin ',
ironin', cookin' and scrubbin'. No wife of mine is gonna work."
The bonds of matrimony are a good investment only when the interest is
kept up.
Many girls like to marry a military man - he can cook, sew, and make beds
and is in good health, and he's already used to taking orders.
Eventually you will reach a point when you stop lying about your age and
start bragging about it.
The! older we get, the fewer things seem worth waiting in line for.
Some people try to turn back their odometers. Not me, I want people to
know "why" I look this way. I've traveled a long way and some of the roads
weren't paved.
How old would you be if you didn't know how old you are?
When you are dissatisfied and would like to go back to your
youth...Remember about Algebra.
You know you are getting old, when everything either dries up or leaks.
I don't know how I got over the hill without getting to the top.
One of the many things no one tells you about aging is that it is such a
nice change from being young.
Ah, being young is beautiful, but being old is comfortable.
Old age is when former classmates are so gray and wrinkled and bald, they
don't recognize you.
If you don't learn to laugh at trouble, you won't have anything to laugh
at when you are old.
Have a GREAT day.......and keep Laughing

The Hospital's
New Wing

When the hospital Board of Directors asked a panel
of doctors to vote on adding a new wing to their hospital.....

The Allergists voted to scratch it!
The Dermatologists advised no rash moves!
The Gastroenterologists had a gut feeling about it!
The Neurologists thought the administration had a lot of nerve!
The Obstetricians stated they were all labouring under a misconception!
The Ophthalmologists considered the idea short-sighted!
The Pathologists yelled, "Over my dead body!"
The Pediatricians said, "Grow up!"
The Psychiatrists thought the whole idea was madness!
The Surgeons decided to wash their hands of the whole thing!
The Radiologists could see right through it!
The Internists thought it was a bitter pill to swallow!
The Plastic Surgeons said,
"This puts a whole new face on the matter!"
The Podiatrists thought it was a step forward!
The Urologists felt the scheme wouldn't hold water!
The Anaesthesiologists thought the whole idea was a gas!
The Cardiologists didn't have the heart to say no!

Interested
in Traditional South African Home Remedies? (Boererate).

My Afrikaans eBook,
Boererate has now been completed,
click here for more info.

We are currently
working on an English version.

AND

My CD,
containing both Boererate (sorry, in Afrikaans only at this stage) and
Boeremusiek (traditional South African folk music) is now available.

On the way to the bakery I saw some kids playing "Wedding". The bride's
gown was a yellow shower curtain, gathered at the waist with a piece of
red garden hose, and the curtain trailing way behind her. Her veil was
mosquito netting, topped by a blue cop car bubble as a tiara.

The groom was attired in a grey lab coat with a charcoal black piece of
truck tire inner-tube as a wide cummerbund belt. His coat trailed a bit
too, but did not quite hide the fact that instead of to a traditional ball
and chain, his leg was chained to a tricycle.

The mother-in-law carried the traditional rolling pin but the
father-in-law had a plastic space ray look water gun instead of the
traditional shotgun.

The preacher was wearing a white bath robe backwards and a trucker style
cap, also backwards.

Just as I was walking past them, I heard the preacher sing out: "You have
the righ t to remain silent, anything you say will be held against you,
forever and ever. If you want to kiss the bride, you better have an
attorney present."

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A
kindergarten pupil told his teacher he'd found a cat, but it was dead.
"How do you know that the cat was dead?" she asked her pupil.
"Because I pissed in its ear and it didn't move," answered the child
innocently.
You did WHAT ? ! ?" the teacher exclaimed in surprise.
"You know," explained the boy, "I leaned over and went 'Pssst!' and it
didn't move."

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Search my website,
type in any key word and if that word is on my site you will see it in
the results, search for recipes, ingredients, place names etc

Geraniums are indigenous to South Africa, but have spread
throughout the world as treasured pot plants.
The are many different types of geraniums, but rose-scented,
peppermint and citrus remain old favourites.
They like a sunny spot, with well composted, light soil. A
thorough watering one a week and a spadeful of compost twice a
year, is all that they ask for.
Prune well in January to discourage straggly growth.
Pull off a sprig at any time of the year except the coldest
months, strip the bottom leaves and press into a box filled with
wet sand. Keep in the shade, and within a month they will be
sturdy little plants ready for transplanting.
The leaves can be picked at any time of the year. The leaves are
rich in oils and are best used when fresh.
The small pink flowers are prolific in spring, and are edible.
Plant geraniums near cabbages to repel white cabbage butterfly.
Rose geranium planted round the edge of a vegetable garden repels
beetles.

MEDICINAL USES
Rose geranium is the best for relaxation. A cup of rose-scented
geranium tea is one of the best medicinal teas around. It relaxes
the entire nervous and digestive system.
Geranium tea is excellent for headaches, stiff muscles, cramps and
spasms. To make the tea, pour a cup of boiling water over a 1/4
cup of fresh leaves, stand for 5 minutes, then strain. Sweeten
with honey if desired.
Essential oils are used to aid stress, sleeplessness,
pre-menstrual tension, skin ailments and depression.

CULINARY USES
Rose-scented geranium is the only edible species, although
peppermint and citrus geraniums add flavour to drinks, desserts,
syrups and jams.
Use rose geranium leaves in scones, cakes, pancakes and dough.
Make some rose geranium butter (recipe below) to serve with your
scones.

COSMETIC USES
Rose geranium makes a lovely bath vinegar.
Tie a few leaves and sprigs in a face cloth and use, with soap, as
a scrub for a penetrating cleansing and relaxing treatment.
Use rose-scented geranium massage cream (recipe below) on tired
legs and feet or for dry skin on hands and feet.

OTHER USES
Scented geranium spray is ideal for treating stale, smoked-filled
rooms.
Foliar spray (recipe below) made from a mixture of comfrey and
scented geranium leaves makes an excellent booster for slow
growing plants.
Use the strong smelling citrus- or camphor-scented leaves, the
tiny nutmeg-scented leaves, the peppermint- and rose-scented
leaves or a mixture of all of these for aphids, mildew and thripps
on plants.

FOLIAR SPRAY
Take 1/2 a bucket of fresh leaves, stems and flowers, and pour
over this 1 bucket of boiling water. Add 1/2 bucket of chopped
comfrey leaves if available. Stir, cover and leave for 3 days.
Strain off the liquid and splash or spray onto plants and water in
a little around them. Do this once a week for 3 weeks, and you can
watch them grow.

Thanks to everyone who has mailed us fridge magnets depicting your
State, City or Country. If you collect fridge magnets, I will gladly
swop with you!
Please email me
and we can make arrangements. Thanx a lot!

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When you have had a look at the recipes
below, click
hereto visit the main recipe page on my site.

Anycomments, positive or otherwise on this Newsletter will be
appreciated!

Keep plenty of this sauce on hand. You'll find it will become a staple in
your freezer. Some tasty additions to this fruit puree are ground nutmeg
or
cinnamon and other pureed fruits such as bananas, pears, apricots, or
plums.

1. Bring 1 inch water in a large saucepan to a boil. Place the apple
slices
in a steaming basket large enough to hold them comfortably, and set the
basket in the pan. Lower the heat, cover the pan, and steam until the
apples
are tender, about 6 minutes.

2. Transfer apples to a blender or food processor and process to the
consistency you want. Freeze any puree that you are not using right away.

Banana Breeze

Half Ripe Avocado
Half Ripe Banana
Baby Yoghurt

Mash together half and avocado, along with half a banana and a tiny pot of
baby yoghurt (Danino would probably be good) for a quick and nutritious
dessert. Give it a twist: You could substitute papaya for the banana. Like
the other ingredients, papaya doesn't require cooking. Or swap the avocado
for blueberries. Wash 50g of fresh blueberries, then place them in a pan,
cover and cook until soft and purée into a smooth mixture

Place rice and carrots in a saucepan with the water and cover. Simmer
until the water is absorbed--about 30 to 40 minutes. When cool enough
to handle, puree in blender or food processor with butter until smooth
Refrigerate, or freeze leftovers in ice cube tray.

Microwave, steam or boil three or four florets of cauliflower. Make the
cheese sauce by heating 25g of butter with 2 tablespoons of plain flour.
Let this melt into a smooth paste, the gradually stir in 150ml of your
baby's usual milk and heat. Once it's thickened and bubbling, remove the
pan from the heat and add two tablespoons of grated mild cheddar cheese.
Mash or chop up the cauliflower, then stir in the cheese sauce. Give it a
twist: You can also add mashed broccoli to give the dish a bit of colour
and variety. Or swap the cauliflower for mashed broccoli and carrots for
yet another variation.

1. Bring one inch water in a medium saucepan to a boil. Place the peas in
a
steaming basket and set the basket in the pan. Lower the heat, cover the
pan, and steam until the peas are tender, about 7 minutes for fresh peas,
6
minutes for frozen. The steaming time will, of course, vary with the
freshness of the peas.
2. Transfer the peas to a blender or food processor and process to the
consistency you want. Add water, 1 teaspoon at a time, if needed, to make
a
smoother puree. Freeze any puree that you are not using right away.

3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 in. thick slices
2 ripe medium peaches, peeled, pitted, and cut into wedges
1. Bring 1 inch water in a medium saucepan to a boil. Place potatoes in a
steaming basket and set the basket in the pan. Lower the heat, cover the
pan, and steam 6 minutes. Add the peaches to the basket, cover again, and
steam until the potatoes are tender, 4 minutes or longer.
2. Transfer the potatoes and peaches to a blender or food processor.
Process
to the desired consistency, adding water, 1 teaspoon at a time, if needed.
Freeze any puree that you are not using right away.

Place rice and carrots in a saucepan with the water and cover. Simmer
until the water is absorbed--about 30 to 40 minutes. When cool enough to
handle, puree in blender or food processor with butter until smooth.
Refrigerate, or freeze leftovers in ice cube tray.

**Makes 1-1/2 cups**

Baked Pear Custard

(cooked egg white in custard should be fine for most babies of this age.
If you are concerned, seperate the yolk from the white of the egg.)

1/2 cup pear puree
1/2 cup milk
1 large egg

1. Preheat oven to 180c and grease a small ovenproof dish.
2. Spoon the pear puree into the bottom of the dish
3. Beat together the milk and egg and pour over the pear puree.
4. Stand in a small roasting tin with hot water halfway up the dish and
bake for 20-30 minutes, or until set

1. Preheat oven to 180c
2. Mix the apple puree with the milk, sugar and vanilla flavouring essence
3. Beat the egg well and stir into the mixture.
4. Pour into a greased oven proof dish.
5. Bake for 20 minutes or until set.
6. May be served hot or cold.

Variation - substitute apple puree for mashed banana and add another egg
yolk to the egg for more nourishment.